Iz様 🌟

A deathly boring to watch 1-0 'shock' win for Panama it is then.

oh gotta catch up I really really love 'Wherever You Are', it's a real oddity in the chart, the choir is really well done here, and it feels almost magical (as the Civ opening songs prove a good choir can be ethereally beautiful, don't know why my mind goes there but it's another prominent example of choirs in pop culture music), I think that's about as good as charity singles get. Absolutely despise The Lazy Song, and All About Tonight, I think the former is just obnoxious from an artist who clearly didn't need to be doing such rot, and the latter is just a very weak song from an artist who had few highlights but they were not the songs she got to #1 with, it's another song about the clerb but I agree it hasn't aged well, it's because there's just nothing about it, it doesn't earn any of what Pixie is singing about, it feels like she's singing flat, and as such again, when she sings 'the club is alive' I do not feel it - oh look it's the same problem as JLS. As for 'Party Rock Anthem', at least their other prominent 'song' didn't get to #1 here but that was by far the worst thing about LMFAO (still hate that one), when they were just singing about anthems you did feel it, 'Party Rock Anthem' was a pretty undeniable good sound of 2011, I can see why you'd hate this on overplay and I think I did also back in 2011 but it's also just quite a bit of a banger, I think the underlying instrumental brings it all together. Haven't heard 'Swagger Jagger' probably since it got to #1 but I don't think I hate it? It's obviously not a great song objectively but I think Cher's personality sells it enough to make it acceptable-ish. Chorus is just a bizarre rendition of that melody and the verses aren't anything special, it's just mildly fun. most of the breakdowns in these songs sound so similar don't they

Congratulations Jim, really excellent to see my 18 winning, incredible song. Great top 2 overall, Brazil/Lentyll was a very interesting entry so great top 2. Really appreciated a good mix of sounds in this contest, I think the Asian and South American countries especially were quite good but some good stuff from every continent. Thanks for hosting this through the break Dan, I found it a decent way to do a lowkey contest in terms of just putting on the playlist this month. Thank you to everyone who pointed Motionless In White, I was recommended them by an American friend who was talking with me about getting into BMTH and this current single track really grew on me after a couple of listens, they have another track they just released with Skylar Grey of all people which also slaps (link below). Felt like a nice direction to go down to make my American draw a bit more interesting, or at least certainly the direction I would take, I'm very happy with a top half.

Last.fm have implemented new anti-botting policies, meaning the charts on there may soon mean something again. BTS immediately fell from #1 to like #15. lol. BTS fans are being unreasonable (everywhere) but this time on Twitter. We love a bit of publicity though.

Sad to see Canada not through to their ordained round of 32 match in Vancouver, they're the most exciting of the Group B sides for me plus the hosting factor, but good to see them through. Bosnia doing good enough to secure themselves in also good.

Doing one final listen and my votes should be with you soon~

I wouldn't fault Burnham's experience with being close to power, MP and cabinet positions throughout the Blair years, twice ran for Labour leadership, Mayor of one of the largest metros in the country, he's got a better CV than most politicians. What I find more worrying is how his positions and ideology, much like Starmer, are much too fluid and changing with the times to get power, socialist when that makes sense, Blairite when that does, maybe he's vaguely on the soft left but his leadership campaigns didn't show it, in fact his second leadership campaign was part of the reason the Labour membership turned to someone more of their roots with Corbyn. Now he's the saviour and for some on the right, a radical. The lack of consistency will be a problem for setting out a direction and breaking from the country default of power-focused neoliberalism that is the reason nothing ever seems to change with who's in power.

Ah I suppose he would for getting voted out by the electorate after completing a full term, that he wasn’t initially put in Downing Street by the public had me missing him as his full premiership doesn’t neatly fit over full terms like Wilson 1 (though two full elections here) and Heath.

One of the biggest things I measure PM success on is infrastructure set-up and the setting for success for the future, on that the last PM to serve a full term, Cameron, ranks awfully as his government did not prepare for the future in the slightest (nuclear power etc), so yes, I do somewhat agree as some of the best parts of this Labour government in particular has been the willingness to invest in infrastructure like reservoirs and train nationalisation that isn't all that flashy but should pay off further down. Good at least that it seems like they are setting up to coronate Burnham as King From The North because a whole summer of uncertainty at government direction is not at all what was ordered. I am doubtful whether he can make any meaningful change and if he doesn't then his rhetorical strength over Starmer is pretty wasted, we need him to break out of managed decline. also I believe the last PM to complete a full term AND get voted out by the electorate rather than removed by inter-party machinations or otherwise resigning, would be Ted Heath, following Wilson who also completed one full term and left (before coming back later). Though that does self-select against successful PMs like Thatcher and Blair that just eventually left office when things finally turned against them.

Indeed, while Burnham may be a bit more charismatic and may not fall into the same obvious traps of announcing policies in a disappointed paternalistic fashion, and may not be as closely wedded to the horrible political instincts of the Labour Right for governing, he's not fundamentally different enough from the main thrust of British political governance to not be unpopular after the media have had their turn at finding something to get the public to hate him for. Complicated legacy with Starmer, he set the country on the right track in some areas but was utterly terrible at political persuasion and likeability, did not deserve to be as hated as he did and stellar representative for us on the world stage but several complete unforced errors which I do not think well of him for.

Signs are growing, government moods are shifting, the prime minister is reflecting on 'political realities' and insiders are leaking things to the press that Starmer will stand down on Monday. Which means that following the rules of soft launches to the press it's as good as done now, let's hope for a quick transition I suppose.

'Changed The Way You Kiss Me' I'd put a bit higher I think, though 'Loca People' is maybe about where it'd end up. Example is a name I haven't thought about much in the last decade but he had this brief period of being untouchable and that song was sort of the peak of what he's capable of, I don't know if it's held up too well, a bit too reliant on its club abilities for casual listening, but there's some fun production and singing on it, good to see it's grown on you while doing this. 'Loca People', on the surface just a bit of harmless fun though surprisingly characterless for a meme dance song beyond the obvious spoken-word selling point, would never remember how the dance breakdown goes outside of listening to it and in its time I don't recall it being an actual highlight in the club, so what's the point?

Was at the show at Tottenham last night; one of the best musical experiences I've ever had, first time I'd managed to see them live just after they've released a phenomenal album that currently has zero competition for me in 2026 music, it continues to be superb and barring something incredible showing up for me in the second half of the year, will be my AOTY. Calling it early but I'm confident. Cried two times, once during 'El Mañana' as expected, and during 'The Shadowy Light', which was built around being an extremely well-done tribute to Asha Bhosle, including her granddaughter on stage. I don't know how they're doing this for the other dates, but they managed to get ~30 current and past collaborators to show up for songs throughout the evening, I don't know exactly how that compares to past concerts but it felt like it was more than normal, it's their first 'stadium' show which makes sense, pretty much all of my favourites got played and the show lasted a long time but didn't feel it at all. bbc concert review: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm203gndx0lo few more details about exactly what songs were played and who showed up best vibes hard to pinpoint but Pos of DLS leading into 'Feel Good' or Roses and Shaun dancing together on 'Dare' are two big ones, as with Yukimi with 'Empire Ants', those latter two were surprises as they hadn't been on previous dates that I'd seen. 'Damascus', 'Delirium' and 'The Sad God' were impeccable performances from the new album. Sparks and Trueno supporting leading into 'The Happy Dictator' and 'The Manifesto' also great payoffs for later.

hell yes for Japan I am so happy for them though this very likely top 2 now in Group F is making me look ahead to the knockouts and what did Group F have to do to get paired up with Group C, the top 2 from both of those looks likely to be among the strongest of all groups... only 2 of Netherlands, Japan, Brazil and Morocco are making the round of 16 which doesn't seem right.

Utterly awful track, even by Jason Derulo's low standards, complete mess of a song, no angle for ironic appreciation, at least with 'Fight For You' its base is desecrating a song that I love and is fairly resistant to being murdered in that 'Africa' is enjoyable in most forms, the songs sampled here just make the whole thing feel tired. Think that one might actually be bottom for me, though it might just edge out the X Factor Finalists.

Indeed, there was a path where Restore being the key to denying Reform would mean they had legs as a malevolent far-right force dragging Reform further right. So with them putting effort into this, hopefully we don't hear much more of them. Good stuff for Burnham, I have been paying less attention to this than I would otherwise in protestation at the media circus, but he's now in Parliament and can make whatever moves he'd like, though I also think that immediately throwing down the gauntlet against Starmer would look a bit gauche.

nothing much to say on that JLS song, not as offensively bad as their 2010 #1s but still pretty unremarkable I enjoyed 'Don't Go' a fair bit for what it is, quite unusual to see an unfancied 3rd single take the #1 in this instance (although not the only 2011 #1 to do this!), I enjoyed 'Unorthodox' a lot more at the time, but 'Don't Go' wasn't too essential and I don't mind it going. Nice background vocals though, I wish Wretch had a bit more presence on this one. I'd say good to see the X-Factor winners singles out (and similar marking as I did for 'When We Collide') but unusually, I have a clear favourite from the whole winner's singles lineup, and it's this one, 'Cannonball'. Obviously, yes, the original version is so much more meaningful and musically interesting as a song, but I do think that this offers something a little bit different in the way that 'When We Collide' didn't, a girl group version, reasonably emotionally performed, of a pretty cool song in any version. I was really into Little Mix winning at the time, I don't imagine it's unpopular to say they were the best winners of X-Factor (by some margin!), and this little emotional ballad offering did the job very nicely - I think I've played it more than any other song from their first album lol. as it will come up a lot in this thread I do think that 'Moves Like Jagger' probably deserved a week at #1 at some point but god it was so annoying at the time, inescapable.

What a cracker of a game, our attack is among the best I’ve seen this cup it’s coming home

Keep the goals coming yesss

hell yes a good game Very entertaining from both sides tbh

I would also pick 'Promise' as my favourite Australian entry, the one time I've properly been obsessed with what they sent to the contest and was supporting them all through, great bunch of lads and good success for the very wonderful Eurovision rock-metal lane that is always a favourite when it arrives glammed up and shiny. Interested to see what highlights you pick from Austria, I don't have too many myself I don't think but on occasion they get it right.

Absolutely and this was the principal objection to the Online Safety Act too, the cybersecurity issues that arise with forcing collection of sensitive data, facilitated by untrustworthy companies that are untested with all the compliance that must surround said sensitive data. In both cases 'think of the children' is used to stifle more liberty-focused opposition.

When I first made my account a few years ago I put a lot of movies that I could remember that I had watched in the past with rough ratings. Covers most of my favourites at least. Of course I still find movies I've watched but not added to my list or rated on the site at all very regularly while browsing the site now, I'm not adding them right now because I don't have a date for them and don't want to mess up the list of what I'm currently watching. If I rewatch them I'll definitely add them with a 'watched this before' tag, not sure how else to make it all complete but that adds another fun little sidequest to do. Assuming I'd want to watch it again but the ones I've found are mostly movies of which my memory is not the best rather than in the 'never watching this again' pile.

yessss I have started using Letterboxd regularly in the past six months or so, IzzyStars is mine. though fair warning, I am about eight months and 24 years in film release time into a 'watch every significant film that I'm interested in in roughly chronological order' marathon starting in 1931 with the first sound films and currently in 1955 that makes up most of the films I allow time for, and Letterboxd has been key in keeping me sticking to it, so about 90% of what I put on there is old films. Mostly good old films though.

One thing in common with a lot of the platforms included in the ban is that while they ostensibly retain the functionality for people to interact with those close to them, whether that is real-life friends or random people they've met online, in actual fact most of children's experience on these platforms, and indeed most adults, has now become a torrent of high engagement social media algorithms almost entirely to do with selling you something from a company or an influencer. This applies to everything from TikTok to Facebook, Instagram, X, Reddit and Youtube et al. Whatsapp and other messaging apps that do not do this are not in scope. I think taking steps to combat society's reliance on the algorithm sites is quite a good thing. Regardless of whether VPNs will find their way round it, just let that happen, if you broadly reduce young impressionable people having a dependence on the poison that is staring at social media selling you biased narratives about the world, so much the better. Especially since it's pretty much impossible to find communities on these sites now the way you could in the early internet, the stuff the platform wants to sell its users is far more valuable than nonsense like making social connections. Obviously where this falls down is going to be a) as mentioned, where else do teenagers go while remaining on a positive life path and b) the braindead or sinister, take your pick, Online Safety Act approach to this which likely will force adults to prove they're an adult by insecure ID and face-scanning approaches rather than like, account ages and unidentifiable identity tokens.